The Government has accused Argentina of being insensitive and disrespectful
after it broadcast a television advert showing an Olympic hopeful training
on a British war memorial in the Falklands.

The 90-second advert was broadcast on the 30th anniversary of the sinking of the General Belgrano warship, which killed 323 troops, nearly half of Argentina’s 649 losses during the Falklands War. It was dedicated to those who fought in the 74-day conflict, which also claimed 258 British lives.

The advert, broadcast on various channels at 10pm, prime time in Argentina, shows Fernando Zylberberg, a member of the men’s Argentine hockey team, running through the streets of Stanley in preparation for July’s games in London.

After watching Zylberberg train outside the Globe Tavern, the Falklands’ most popular pub, and sprint past the Penguin News, the islands’ only newspaper – which recently published a picture of Cristina Kirchner, the Argentine president, on its website under the visible filename ‘b----’ – viewers read the slogan: ‘To compete on English soil, we train on Argentine soil’.

The Foreign Office criticised the advert as an attempt to exploit and politicise the Games.

A FCO spokeswoman said: "We are saddened at this attempt by Argentina to exploit the Games. The Olympics is about sport and not politics. We are also dismayed at the insensitivity and disrespect demonstrated by the filmmakers in their use of a war memorial in the Falklands as a prop.

"The people of the Falklands are British and have chosen to be so. They remain free to chose their own futures both politically and economically and have a right to self-determination."

The spokeswoman added: "There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend. The islanders just can't be written out of history."

Foreign Secretary William Hague dismissed the advert as a "stunt" by Argentina which he said would not affect Britain's position on the Falklands.

"Argentina has had some diplomatic setbacks in the last few weeks. They have failed at summit of the Americas to get other countries - South and North America - to issue a declaration on the Falkland Islands," he told Sky News.

"I think what is happening is they are looking for one or two stunts to try and make up for that or save a bit of pride somehow. But I don't think trying to misuse the Olympics in some way for political purposes will go down very well with other countries.

"Of course, it doesn't change our position on the Falkland Islands. We will always support the right to self-determination of the people of the Falkland Islands."

Mrs Kirchner intensified Argentina’s sovereignty claim to the Malvinas, the name for the islands in Spanish, during the build-up to the 30th anniversary of the Argentine invasion of the archipelago on April 2.

She has criticised Britain for maintaining a “colonial enclave” in the South Atlantic and her foreign secretary, Héctor Timerman, made a formal complaint to the UN calling for the Coalition to negotiate sovereignty of the islands with Argentina.

The airing of the controversial advert, created by New York-based agency Young and Rubicam, came just two hours after Mrs Kirchner had spoken at the inauguration of the ‘Malvinas patio’ in a courtyard of the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace in Buenos Aires.

Announcing the broadcast last night, government representatives said it would have a “strong impact”.

During her speech at the Casa Rosada, Mrs Kirchner backed Alicia Castro, the Argentine ambassador to the UK, in her confrontation on Monday with William Hague, the foreign secretary.

Mr Hague clashed with Mrs Castro when she asked him during a conference on human rights if the UK would consider negotiating the future of the Falklands.